Laser Shaft Alignment Training – Level 2

Shaft misalignment is a leading contributor to bearing, seal and coupling failures in pumps, motors, compressors and gearboxes. This three-day Level 2 course develops the competence to align two coupled rotating machinery shafts accurately and repeatably using modern laser alignment systems. Participants progress from alignment theory and pre-alignment procedures to measurement, tolerance evaluation and correction on training rigs, and learn to describe and document shaft offset and angular misalignment in a form that supports reliability records, root cause analysis and maintenance planning.

Who Should Attend

• Mechanical maintenance technicians and millwrights
• Rotating equipment and reliability technicians
• Maintenance supervisors and planners responsible for machinery installation quality
• Condition monitoring personnel who need to verify alignment-related faults

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the effects of offset and angular misalignment on bearings, seals and couplings
• Carry out pre-alignment checks including runout, soft foot, pipe strain and base condition
• Set up a laser alignment system and acquire reliable measurements in horizontal and vertical configurations
• Evaluate results against tolerance tables based on speed and coupling type
• Calculate and execute vertical and horizontal correction moves with shims and jack bolts
• Account for thermal growth and other sources of measurement error
• Document as-found and as-left alignment in a standardized report

Course Outline

• Module 1 — Alignment Fundamentals: types of misalignment, coupling behavior and the consequences of poor alignment.
• Module 2 — Alignment Methods Compared: straightedge, rim-and-face, reverse indicator and laser methods, with their advantages, disadvantages and sources of error.
• Module 3 — Pre-Alignment Procedures: safety isolation, runout, soft foot detection and correction, pipe strain and baseplate checks.
• Module 4 — Laser System Setup and Measurement: sensor mounting, rotation methods, data quality and laser safety.
• Module 5 — Describing and Documenting Shaft Offset and Angularity: sign conventions, reference planes and tolerance evaluation.
• Module 6 — Correction Moves: shim calculation, horizontal moves, iterative alignment and verification.
• Module 7 — Special Applications: thermal growth targets, vertical machines, spacer shafts and machine trains.

Standards & References

Course content draws on ANSI/ASA S2.75 (Shaft Alignment Methodology); ISO 14691 (Flexible Couplings for Mechanical Power Transmission in the Petroleum, Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries); ISO 21940 (Mechanical Vibration — Rotor Balancing); and BS EN 60825-1 (Safety of Laser Products). Participants are introduced to the scope and application of each document; the current edition should always be consulted for project work.

Assessment & Certification

The program comprises 24 contact hours (3 days) of instruction. Assessment consists of a written examination and a practical assessment in which each candidate aligns a motor–pump training rig to specified tolerances and submits a completed alignment report. Successful candidates receive an IIME Certificate of Training bearing a unique verification code, which can be verified online.